Russia says talks in Istanbul to focus on sustainable settlement, territorial issues

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has said the topics for negotiations on Thursday in Istanbul will include sustainable settlement and ground realities, as well as territorial concerns.

Russia is willing to engage in responsible negotiations, but it doubts the other party's ability to reach an agreement, he stated after meeting with Turkish Ambassador Tanju Bilgic in Moscow on Tuesday.

"It is necessary to ensure recognition of the realities 'on the ground' in the context of the conflict in Ukraine, including the entry of new territories into Russia," he stressed.

He, however, added that Kyiv's inability to negotiate is one of the obstacles in the negotiation process.

Explaining the choice of the venue for the talks, Ryabkov named Russia's intensive dialogue with Türkiye as one of the reasons.

The proposal for unconditional talks in Istanbul was made by Russian President Vladimir Putin during a press conference in Moscow on Sunday.

Later that day, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed Türkiye's readiness to host the meeting on Thursday in Istanbul during a phone conversation with Putin.